


Lucky 13

by tippykazoo



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Marvel (Comics), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/M, Original Characters Tagged, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-21
Updated: 2017-04-23
Packaged: 2018-09-25 23:22:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 10,278
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9851498
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tippykazoo/pseuds/tippykazoo
Summary: She lost her job because she helped Captain America get his shield back. She doesn't know what to do or where to go. Without work, Sharon feels empty. So, she goes out and finds something to do, someone to save, something to occupy her thoughts.





	1. So, You Just Got Fired

**Author's Note:**

> If you're not a fan of Sharon Carter, you probably shouldn't read this fic.

“You were one of our most promising agents. Your work with the terrorism task force was some of the best I’ve seen in my years here. It’s a shame to see you go but we don’t really have any other choice,” her superior actually did look apologetic as she spoke. Part of Sharon was thankful that she was only being fired instead of something worse. She’d been to the Raft before and it wasn’t exactly a vacation hotspot.

“I didn’t want to let you go at all but the people above me won’t hear anything about it. I pushed for you to just get probation, maybe some leave, but the incident with the shield was just too much. I’m sorry Agent Carter, but you’ll need to have your desk cleared out by the end of the day,” Agent Halifax, that was her name, told Sharon with a look of disappointment. Sharon didn’t quite know what to say in turn so she nodded her head once, all professionalism and stood up to leave the office.

“It’s been an honor to work with you here,” Sharon offered as she exited the room. She made her way directly to her desk where a banker box was already waiting for her so she could take her few personal items home with her. Home. Home sounded depressing. Home sounded like leftover Chinese in her fridge that was close to going bad but was just salvageable enough to make dinner of. Home sounded like her cell phone to her ear, ringing and ringing as she tried to get ahold of her friends. Home sounded like her sitting in her car in front of her building for twenty minutes with this stupid banker box that held only a few pens and a small cactus that was dying. Home sounded like a quiet that would leave her to think and the last thing she wanted to do was think. She wanted out of her head. She wanted to get away. So, she did.

She got in her car, an ordinary, black four door town car that was eco-friendly and silent. On her way out of the office, she threw her stupid box into a trashcan outside the building. Now, she was behind the wheel and headed away from the city, away from what was left of her life as an agent for the CIA. She needed a little time to evaluate where her priorities were. Currently, they seemed nonexistent. She didn’t quite know what to do with herself. She was the kind of person who always had work to do, who was always busy with something. And now, she had nothing to focus on. So, she drove.

Without meaning to, she realized she was driving to her childhood home. It was hours away and her parents were long since deceased. The home had been left to her but she rarely used it, preferring to live in various cities for her work or, in her Shield days, on base somewhere. The house had sat on a lonely estate for years, being cleaned by a service every few weeks and checked in on by neighbors during stormy weather. The only food stocked there were canned goods and expensive liquor. Sharon didn’t think to hit a super market on her aimless drive toward her old home. When she pulled into the driveway, she paused in front of the wheel, unsure if she should even be there.

“What the hell am I doing?” she asked herself quietly. Great, now she was becoming to type who had so little to do that she was talking to herself. “What am I going to do with my life?” she asked after, stress lacing her tone. Before she could think about it too much and freak out, she decided to give herself a task to partake in. She went inside the house and tugged open the dusty curtains. It was dark out, but the windows were tall and Sharon could see the stars like they were on a big screen. She wandered through the fancy kitchen until she found the pantry and started rummaging through stockpiled preserved foods. She pulled out a can of tomato soup and made for the stove triumphantly. While it simmered, she pulled down a wine glass and found a vintage bottle stored on a rack right on the counter. Her family did love to drink.

She ate dinner alone, in an even bigger house than the one she’d run away from, trying to shut out the silence with wine and exasperated sighs. She needed a game plan for her future but was too busy throwing herself a pity party to make any headway on that front so, she drank.

Four glasses into her party of one, Sharon had changed into a pair of fancy silk pajamas and was lazing on the couch fiddling with her cell phone. She was drunk enough at this point to end up calling someone on accident which usually wouldn’t be a problem since most of her friends were out saving the world and didn’t answer their phones but apparently, tonight was the exception.

“Carter, what’s up? Is something wrong?” Maria Hill’s voice sounded through the phone and Sharon sat upright, forgetting she’d even hit the contact button.

“Uhm, I’m not sure?” Sharon spluttered out in drunken fashion.

“Why’d you call?” Maria asked, sounding a little bit worried now. That was the way of things, everyone was always worried because organizations fell and cities burned and politics tore them all apart.

“I got fired. I just hit your contact on accident,” Sharon tried to explain and she heard Maria laugh on the other end of the line.

“Are you drunk Sharon?” Maria asked accusingly yet playfully.

“Only a little, I came home to my parents’ old place and they have all this wine stocked up. They were rich hoarders,” Sharon babbled.

“You should have come to the city. I’m here, Tony’s here. Or, at least, he was here. I’m not sure where he headed off to but it seemed important. But Pepper and I are both at the tower. We’d have gotten drunk with you.” Maria offered and Sharon could feel her smile through the phone which was comforting. “So, why’d you get fired?” Maria asked and that subtle feeling of comfort sank a little bit.

“So much has happened with these stupid heroes. Steve and Sam and Bucky were all taken into custody and the guys lost their gear to the CIA. I thought I was doing the right thing, getting their stuff back to them. No, I knew I was doing the right thing. And then I got fired for it.” Sharon explained.

“That’s a pretty touchy subject over here so, maybe don’t bring all of this up to Tony right now, okay?” Maria sounded hesitant. “Sorry you lost your job but you know how to put your big girl panties on and do whatever needs to be done next.” Maria told Sharon exactly what she needed to hear, offered her exactly what their friendship had been built off of.

“That’s what I’m having trouble figuring out. What do I do next? I don’t have anything to strive toward and this lack of ambition is killing me,” Sharon muttered.

“Sharon Carter without a ten-part plan to get whatever she wants. Now that’s something I’ve never seen before. So, you blew the CIA. Fuck them. They don’t deserve you. Come work with us. Pepper will hire you. You can do security with me. Or I can even hook you back up with Shield.” Maria strategized, planning Sharon’s future for her since Sharon was drunk and depressed and a little bit pathetic.

“I would take Shield back in a heartbeat. I thought I’d never be part of any of that again after the Trisk but I’ve always wondered if I could find my way back to my old job.” Sharon sounded like a kid making a confession about what she wanted to be when she grew up.

“I’ll get ahold of Phil,” Maria offered resolutely.

“Wait, Phil’s alive?” Sharon asked suddenly and Maria laughed again.

“This is a wacky business we’ve all gotten ourselves into, isn’t it?” Maria asked teasingly.

“How is Phil alive?” Sharon asked again. Maybe she was more drunk than she thought.

“You can ask him yourself. I’ll text you a location and you can meet up with a Quinjet by tomorrow afternoon. Does your parents’ snobby neighborhood still have a landing strip?” Maria joked.

“Thank you, Maria, you’re my hero. Avengers my ass, ladies get shit done,” Sharon murmured into her phone only to hear Maria snicker.

“Go sleep it off Carter, you’ve got a new future to kick off come morning,” Maria offered and then the line went dead. Sharon fell asleep on the couch in her silk pajamas feeling more at ease now that she had something new to work toward.


	2. Ghost Ops Assignment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Agents Coulson and May give Sharon her new assignment.

She was hungover and cold. Sharon Carter stood out on a private air strip in her hometown wearing all white gear. She felt like her old self, only a little more haggard than before. Maybe more like herself during the academy; back in the days when she and her fellow agents in training would play drinking games by night and kick each other’s asses by day. That seemed more fitting.

In one hand, she held a generic paper coffee cup and in the other, a medium sized duffle bag. Her hair was pulled back in a high ponytail and her eyes were baggy. When the jet appeared in her sightline, her expression went from hungover sleep deprivation advertisement to seasoned Shield agent quicker than a shot firing. And when the Quinjet landed just ahead of her, she started toward it confidently. Her eyes brightened at the sight of Agent Coulson coming down the ramp, suit and all.

“Someone looks good for a zombie,” were the first words out of Sharon’s mouth as she made earshot with Coulson. She surprised herself by hugging him. They’d known each other for years but were never really ‘hug level’ friends. Maybe finding out he was still alive made her appreciate him more.

“This from a woman who is obviously hungover,” Coulson offered in turn. Sharon smiled and they strode up the ramp into the jet with ease. “You remember Agent May, right?”

“How could I forget the woman who gave me one of the most grueling combat courses in the academy?” Sharon asked with a grin. It felt good to hear familiar names. It was like showing up to a family reunion and reconnecting with people.

“Was that three-week training too hard for you Thirteen?” May smirked from the cockpit, glancing back at Sharon.

“Too hard? Psh, no, I prefer to think of it as a much-needed learning experience. Some of those moves have saved my ass on enough occasions to leave me thankful you ran that course even though you weren’t teaching there consistently,” Sharon shot back, dropping her duffle in a vacant seat and striding up to sit in the spot beside May to talk during the flight. Coulson took one of the seats behind them, still able to join the conversation. Sharon adjusted her seatbelt as May took off.

“So, it’s good to see both of you still alive and kicking,” Sharon mused after a pause in the conversation as the plane rose into the sky properly.

“You’re mad at Coulson for not telling you he was alive,” May said, her voice neutral, just the way Sharon remembered.

“I mean, it’s not exactly hard to send someone a text or email,” Sharon pretended to sound hurt.

“I had a lot of things going on at the time and then you decided to join the CIA and that made things more complicated,” Coulson shrugged.

“I would have jumped to come back in a heartbeat had I known it was an option,” Sharon’s voice maintained the steady, playful tone, but she was a little bit hurt by the idea of not being looped back in from the start.

“Things were more secretive than ever at that point, but it would have been nice to have you there,” Coulson sounded appeasing and Sharon dropped it. There was no point discussing the past when no one could change anything.

“So, any hints on where we’re headed?” Sharon inquired, glancing at both Coulson and May to look for clues in their expressions.

“We’re putting you on ghost ops,” Coulson told her outright. Sharon’s brows perked up.

“Sounds exciting. What is it?” Sharon asked. She glanced over at May to see if this was some joke she wasn’t catching on to.

“Everything is completely off book,” May offered, knowing exactly what Coulson had planned.

“As far as anyone is concerned, you’re taking leave from work altogether and settling in a new city where you don’t know anyone,” Coulson clued her in. “We’re placing you in a house with two other operatives and you’ll be fed cases through a dead drop. You’re all being paid in cash. The other two agents both have secure covers and have already settled into jobs and started work. When we found out you were available for work, we figured it would be a good fit.”

“What kind of cases are we talking here? Classic, 084 type business? Super hero liaisons? Security guard for heroes recently thawed out of ice?” Sharon smirked back at Coulson. She knew he was obsessed with all things Captain America, including her family’s relationship to the guy. When she’d first met Coulson, he hadn’t realized she was a Carter and had only known her as Thirteen, a sarcastic blond recruit who had just come out of the academy and was working her way up in the ranks steadily.

“A little of everything,” Coulson told her like he was giving her a present. He kind of was. The CIA had her on terrorism cases, which was an honor, but she’d missed the more mysterious work she’d encountered at Shield.

“And these agents I’ll be with, none of them are complete psychos, right?” Sharon asked, giving May an accusing look.

“That was one time and you learned a lot from the op. Keep your guard up or risk a few limbs,” May gave her a half smile.

“I’ve missed this,” Sharon confided. During their conversation, she’d downed the remainder of her coffee and found she was still tired. She let herself nod off as they flew. Her future lay ahead and she was back to the kind of work she loved.


	3. Meet The Roommates

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sharon makes herself acquainted with her new home and meets one of her roommates.

She was dropped off at another private air strip and given an address and a burner phone. She waved to Coulson and May as she walked away. She caught a cab and found herself outside a large, industrial styled building. The exterior walls were assembled of reddish brown bricks with towering ceilings on each floor and tall glass windows looking out into streets around her. The first floor’s windows were all covered with bars, but the ones above seemed less like a prison and more like a trendy hipster apartment building that should have been used for a sitcom. She made her way through a heavy metal door and up a rickety metal staircase to come to the second level where she entered the loft.

Much of the space was an open floorplan but there were still a few bedrooms and a bathroom properly concealed behind walls that had been specially built-in. The tops of the walls had a gap where the ceiling met exposed beams and columns. Sharon hoped no one liked singing in the shower because it would probably echo.

As far as decoration went, the place was sparse. There was a dark red sofa and two mismatched chairs. There was a butcherblock style table with some foldable metal chairs where Sharon assumed they would eat their meals. The kitchen was pretty standard, which Sharon was thankful for because she wasn’t overly fond of mini fridges and one-burner stovetops. She peeked inside the bedrooms and found that they were all almost identical in furnishings and lighting. Two of them looked occupied by the scattered laundry and various weapons laid out on desks and propped against walls. Sharon noted that none of the rooms had dressers and the other occupants lived out of their suitcases. Everyone was ready to pick up and leave or disappear at any moment. This was the life of an agent.

Her new roommates were likely still working so, Sharon went ahead and decided to settle herself in. She took the last open bedroom and dropped her duffle on the bed. She wandered through the loft to acquaint herself with the layout. She spent twenty minutes testing floorboards to find out which ones squeaked when stepped on. She spent ten minutes laying on her back to examine the ceiling from the main room. She spent fifteen minutes checking the exit points and jumping out of two of the windows to measure the drop. One of those jumps scared a homeless man sleeping in the alley that ran alongside the warehouse.

After her assessment of her new home, Sharon started pillaging through the fridge. It felt weird to go through food that someone else had bought before she even met them, but she figured making food would be a nice first impression. Unfortunately, it didn’t look like much shopping had been done. She settled for making stir-fried rice out of what she could find. As she was finishing up, one of her roommates came through the metal door and greeted her with a glare as she tossed an apron on the counter.

“Long day at work?” Sharon asked, eyeing the apron and acknowledging the stains.

“Got put behind the meat counter at the grocery store. My boss is a dick,” the young woman told her. She was small in frame and had dark hair and dark eyes. “You’re the new girl?” she asked and Sharon nodded. “Thirteen? I’m Artemis.”

“Nice to meet you,” Sharon nodded. It was kind of nice being called just Thirteen again.

“You made food? You’re my hero already. Neither of us can cook and we’ve been living on Raman and takeout. Sometimes we pick up groceries but it’s ridiculous,” Artemis filled Sharon in as she shoveled some stir fry onto a plate.

“Who’s our other roommate?” Sharon asked, taking a seat and picking at her own food.

“Lex. He’s a bartender so, he won’t be here ‘til the wee hours of the morning. He was probably out training earlier if you haven’t met him already,” Artemis let her know. “You might just want to catch him tomorrow if you’re planning on getting any sleep tonight.”

“Or you could just give me his work address and I could go meet him now. I could use a drink anyway,” Sharon grinned.

“It’s a pretty shitty bar, are you sure you can handle it?” Artemis asked her, sizing her up. Prim and proper Sharon Carter with her high ponytail and white clothes. She gave off the illusion of not being made of much.

“I think I’ll be okay,” Sharon deadpanned.

“It’s your funeral Princess,” Artemis warned her.

“Tomorrow morning, you and I are sparring, and then you will never call me Princess again,” Sharon winked at her.

“Sounds fun,” Artemis shrugged. “Turn right and walk about a block. Place’s called The Rusty Gut. Just look for the drunk bikers and you’ll figure it out. Ask for Lex,” Artemis gave her the directions and shooed her away with a wave of her hand. Sharon nodded and left the warehouse in search of her other roommate.


	4. You Work in a Shit Hole

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sharon meets Lex and is surprised to find they've met before.

The Rusty Gut looked like a real shit-hole. A line-up of beaten up motorcycles parked outside on the street along with a few very battered looking junkers for cars. The door was cracked open and a plume of smoke snuck out into the street. Obscure rock bands played distantly and pool balls clinked, all beneath gruff chatter and loud swearing. When she stepped inside the bar, the lights shone dimly in green tones and she cringed at the smells. There was broken glass and alcohol all over the floor. Bikers, old school rockers, and burnouts surrounded her. Sharon rolled her eyes as she made her way up to the bar, ignoring the whistles and catcalls around her.

The bartender had his back turned but Sharon saw sandy hair and a muscular frame. He wore a plain white shirt with jeans and an apron. He was the only one on duty so, Sharon assumed this was her other roommate. Artemis had called him Lex. Sharon thought about calling out to him, but then thought it might be more fun to mess with him a little.

“Hey, can a girl get a drink over here?” Sharon called out to him over the noise. He turned and Sharon was startled by chiseled features and bright blue eyes. They were familiar but she couldn’t quite place them. She knew she’d met this man at some point but had no idea when or where.

“Woah, did you walk into the wrong bar?” was his response as he eyed her.

“Why would you say that?” Sharon raised her brows in response.

“The smell, obviously. You seem like you’d know better than to subject yourself to this torture. I mean, I get paid to deal with it, but voluntarily walking in here is a whole different story,” he told her and Sharon grinned at his response. He wasn’t calling her Princess and she appreciated it.

“You guys might want to think about investing in a mop,” Sharon advised. “And maybe some air freshener.”

“I’ll bring it up with the big guy. So, what can I get you?” he played right along with her and Sharon felt the natural banter.

“Cheapest beer you have on tap. I’m trying to get a feel for the local scene,” Sharon said decidedly.

“That’s brave of you, admirable really,” he teased. “So, you got a name?”

“Sharon,” she told him, using her real name. Her cover was to play off her real identity.

“I knew it,” he said suddenly, dropping the banter and the smile and looking at her seriously. “Thirteen.”

“Did you know the whole time? I was having so much fun,” Sharon eyed him.

“How could I forget you? Best in our class,” Lex remarked and that was when it hit her, his identity. They’d gone to school together. They’d taken classes side-by-side. They’d sparred. They’d gotten drunk together. They’d played pranks on one-another. So many years and so many people had blended together during the academy for Sharon. She couldn’t believe she’d forgotten him though. She’d known him quite well before.

“You’ve changed, I can barely recognize you,” Sharon remarked, her eyes assessing him.

“I’ve been through a lot between then and now,” he told her and Sharon knew that statement so well it hurt. “But you, you look so much like you did back in the day.”

“I’ve got a great skin care regiment,” Sharon joked. She was still looking him up and down.

“So, you’re the new roommate then?” he asked her, letting the subject sway into lighter conversation.

“I am. I even made dinner for you and Artemis but then found out you keep ridiculous hours,” Sharon let her tone slip into playful scolding.

“Did she tell you I can’t cook? I can cook. I just don’t have time to cook,” Lex played at sounding defensive.

“She did tell me you can’t cook. She said neither of you could. I’m going to let you guys in on a secret though. If you keep normal food in your fridge, you’ll be able to cook all kinds of things. Give yourself something to work with,” Sharon teased.

“Okay, it’s settled, you buy food and I’ll make something,” Lex grinned.

“Are you trying to trick me into grocery shopping?” Sharon laughed.

“Oh no, you’ve got me figured out already. I’m gonna have to step up my game,” he wore a sideways smile.

“I know your game. We used to play it all the time. Remember, I used to kick your ass regularly,” she nodded boastfully.

“I’m looking forward to playing again,” Lex told her with an underlying honesty that made Sharon wonder what might happen next.

“Time will tell. I should really get back to the loft. Rain check on that horrible beer though,” Sharon moved to leave, glancing back one more time to watch him as she walked away.


	5. I Can Feel You Blushing Over Text Message

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Texts from Captain America. Sharon plays it cool.

When she returned to the loft, she found Artemis asleep on the couch with the lights dimmed. Not wanting to interrupt her, Sharon headed straight to her room to get ready to sleep. She changed into leggings and an oversized MIT tee shirt. The bed was simple, adorned with plain white cotton sheets and a quilted white comforter. Sharon plugged her cellphone into a charger and fell back onto the pillows. Just as she began to settle, the phone buzzed. She was surprised at the message and more specifically, the assumed sender.

**I heard that you lost your job. Sorry about that.**

-S

Sharon knew it had to be from Steve. He was partially responsible for her firing and who else signed off a text with the initial S?

**I heard you’re a wanted fugitive. How’s the criminal life treating you?**

-13

Her response was snarky but she figured that was how most of their conversations had always been. It was the first time she’d ever texted him though. She was surprised to hear from him at all after everything that had happened.

**It’s not fun. I keep fighting with the people I care about.**

-S

Sharon knew that too well. Tension was rising amid her friends for a while. Last she’d heard from them, both Clint and Nat were on different sides of a very controversial debate.

**If it makes you feel any better, I think it’s a good cause to fight for.**

-13

Sharon tried to sound comforting but didn’t know if that came across over a text.

**I’m worried things will never go back to the way they were.**

-S

Sharon was surprised he was so open with her. She guessed their conversation after the funeral must have given him a feeling that he could trust her. Well, that and the fact that she’d come through for him with the shield despite her own best interests.

**They won’t. The trick is to try to make things BETTER than they were before.**

-13

She felt a little bit naïve, trying to lend him some optimism. She couldn’t just say, “sorry, your life totally sucks right now” though.

**I’m not sure I know how to do that.**

-S

Sharon felt the seriousness to his problem. He had an entire country looking at him under a microscope and he probably felt pretty damn lost.

**You don’t need your hero costume and super serum to make good choices and follow your gut. Apparently, what you do need is a Carter woman though. ;)**

-13

She wondered if he was the type to use an emoji or just be oblivious.

**Ha! You’re right! I’m helpless without you. Please, come be on the run from the law with me.**

-S

Sharon startled herself with a laugh. She hadn’t expected humor from his end of the conversation.

**It’s nice to feel needed. :P And, as fun as that sounds, I’ve got a new job and I’m not giving it up without a fight.**

-13

She couldn’t help but imagine what that would even be like, on the run with Captain America. It sounded like a weird soap opera.

**New job? Doing what? Running your own gun range? Babysitting new heroes? Are you a hero too now? Please tell me you have a cape.**

-S

Sharon had to stop herself from laughing too loudly so she wouldn’t wake up Artemis. She imagined herself wearing a cape and running around saving people. What would her power be? Losing jobs at government agencies?

**I would look AMAZING in a cape. I actually joined back up with SHIELD.**

-13

She was a little wary of offering up that information but if anyone could be trusted, it was Cap.

**After all the corruption? After Nat and I had to take everything apart to weed out the Hydra agents? Are you sure that’s even safe?**

-S

It felt weird to read his concern, like he didn’t know her nearly well enough to say something like that.

**This is a second chance to make SHIELD what it was supposed to be; to make it what Aunt Peggy started.**

-13

She was getting defensive.

**I don’t like this idea at all. You’re going to get yourself killed.**

-S

Sharon snorted at that comment. She tried not to get cocky, but she was an extremely competent agent and could handle herself just as well as any of these super heroes.

**I’ve been an agent for far longer than I’ve known you. I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself and others.**

-13

It felt good to assert herself, to remind him of just how far she’d come and how much she’d fought for to be where she was.

**No, you’re right. If anyone can fix SHIELD, it’s you. Sorry, I was just worried.**

-S

And there was the Steve she knew, from stories and from what she’d seen of him so far in person. There was the bumbling Steve who wanted to protect but knew just how strong others could really be.

**Don’t worry, it’s just one more friend out there fighting for what’s right.**

-13

She tried to sound casual about it, offhand risking her life for the greater good, that kind of thing.

**I kind of thought you might be a little more than just a friend.**

-S

Sharon felt a blush rising on her cheeks. It was weird, she wasn’t really the type to blush.

**Aw, one kiss beneath an overpass when we were both feeling vulnerable and now you’ve got a little crush on me?**

-13

She was going for playful but was also calling him out on it. She didn’t really know how she’d felt about the whole thing. It had been a nice kiss and everything, and they’d definitely had a connection for a while now, but the whole thing had been rushed and chaotic. More than anything, it had felt like a quick goodbye kiss to a future that neither of them would really be able to have.

**No. I mean, maybe. I mean, I care about you, that’s all.**

-S

That seemed fair. It was also comforting. Sometimes, it felt like Sharon was alone out there. She didn’t have enough people to have her back. Since she’d lost her job, the only person who’d known to help her out was Maria and that was because she’d drunk dialed her. Here was Steve, texting her because he’d thought of her. It was flattering.

**I can feel you blushing through this text. I care about you too. So, stay safe out there.**

-13

She hoped that came off as neutral enough. She wanted to let him know she did care, but didn’t want to lead him on, to let him think anything would come out of this conversation aside from their friendship strengthening.

**You too.**

-S

And with that short reply, Sharon felt her heart sink a little bit. Even though she wanted to remain distant, part of her felt just like she had when she was his fake neighbor; like she wanted more but knew she couldn’t possibly pursue it.


	6. Introducing The Courier

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Artemis reveals their current mission and the team make plans to start taking out a local gang.

The next morning, Sharon woke to the sound of two frying pans being beaten together. She debated sandwiching her head between two pillows and pretending she couldn’t hear the unwanted alarm but knew better than to ignore the noise. Instead, she dragged herself out of bed and stepped out of her room running a hand through her mess of blond hair.

“Do you always wake people up like this?” were the first words out of her mouth when she saw Artemis sitting on the kitchen table with the pans in hand. Artemis answered with a pensive look, assessing Sharon’s reaction.

“This is a special welcome alarm for you,” Lex replied for Artemis, wandering out of his room in a pair of gray pajama pants and a black hoodie.

“Did you even get a chance to sleep last night? You got home at what, 2 AM, and it’s 6 in the morning,” Sharon inquired of him, wondering how the hell these two got anything done. She walked toward the counter as they talked, searching for a coffee pot only to find they didn’t have one.

“I’m kind of an insomniac so, sleep deprivation barely phases me,” Lex shrugged. “Also, if you’re looking for a coffee maker, there isn’t one. Artemis broke it a couple weeks ago and we haven’t replaced it.”

“I’m starting to think I was only sent here as a personal shopper,” Sharon muttered as she leaned back into the counter.

“You probably were,” Artemis offered coldly. Sharon had a feeling she’d need to spend a while showing Artemis that she was worth having on the team.

“Play nice,” Lex interfered with Artemis’s death glaring morning face.

“I woke you both up for a reason,” she dangled a purpose in front of their sleepy expressions.

“New message?” Lex asked, stretching an arm upward to work out the kinks from sleeping on a sub-par mattress.

“The Courier finally has a name,” Artemis revealed. Sharon couldn’t help but look at them with an annoyed, questioning glance. She knew Artemis wouldn’t be the helpful type.

“We’ve been tracking this sort of gang in the city. There’s this person who goes by The Courier who’s basically this notorious transporter of illegal goods and information. Every time we stumble across something dangerous, it’s got The Courier’s name tied to it. Our last goal was to identify this person’s name and their intentions. It could be the key to taking down this group,” Lex filled her in, much more obliging than their roommate.

“Thank you. That’s information I can work with,” Sharon smiled as well as she could without caffeine.

“Now that we’re done playing catch-up, do you guys want to know who it is or not?” Artemis asked, voice laced with annoyance.

“You know we do, now stop being such a grumpy morning person,” Lex told her and Artemis visibly softened a little.

“So, in a surprising turn of events, The Courier is a woman and she doesn’t have her own transport crew to cover everything up. Instead, she seems to have some kind of special abilities that assist her. Her name is Jada Carlo. I figure, one of the best ways to get to her is to pose as criminals, acquire her services,” Artemis laid out her information.

“Good work,” Lex grinned. “What kind of criminal façade should we take on? Any ideas?”

“How’d you get the intel?” Sharon went off topic, a brow quirking up curiously. She wanted to know if they had contacts and if she should be making her own contacts as well.

“Don’t worry about it,” Artemis went from at ease to tense again.

“She has her ways, don’t worry about it. The intel is good. Now, back to ideas,” Lex smoothed over the moment. Sharon knew she’d be looking into that later, but decided to trust the two of them for the time.

“We could go easy-mode and get into weapons dealing,” Artemis suggested, relaxing again as she set the frying pans on the table.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you choose to make things easy. What are you really thinking?” Lex asked, his smile turning sly. Sharon liked this dynamic. The three of them would be challenging one another, making one another stronger.

“I’m thinking we offer up a little competition. We could coax her out of the woodwork and have her come straight to us if she thinks her operation is in jeopardy. Let her think we’re a few independent contractors who came to the city to challenge her smuggling business,” Artemis practically had stars in her eyes at the idea. Sharon knew this girl had a passion for what she was doing.

“I like it. It’s going to piss off the cops so much though. We have to be exceptionally subtle. We also need to make sure Coulson knows what’s happening, especially if one of us gets arrested,” Lex sounded cautious and Sharon knew this was their balance of power. How would she fit into this trio? She had to figure out her role fast because Artemis seemed like the type to lack patience.

“We don’t have to do anything illegal. My family is extremely wealthy. I’ll have a painting transferred very publicly, maybe donate it to a public museum. Once inside the city, the two of you can sweep it up and get your names out there for this Courier to have you on her radar. If anything goes awry, I’ll claim I had the two of you transport it at the last moment because I was afraid it would be stolen,” Sharon offered.

“You’re taking all the fun out of it,” Artemis told her but Sharon knew that this was already the choice they would all go with. It balanced out Artemis’s desire for danger and Lex’s caution.

“I’ll have a meeting at a museum by the end of tomorrow,” Sharon settled.

“Sounds perfect. Now, can I go back to sleep?” Lex asked Artemis pleadingly.

“No work ethic,” Artemis muttered, shooing him away and getting off the table to put the pans away.

“I’m going out to buy a Keurig,” Sharon told them decidedly. “How do you two live like this?”

“We just lower our standards a little more day-by-day,” Lex joked as he went back to his room.


	7. Before and After the Bomb

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The team attends an event at a museum to draw The Courier out and are met with a small explosion of activity.

**After**

_Her ears were ringing and her eyes were adjusting to the bright light and smoke. She felt adrenaline pumping through her system. She’d lived through more than one explosion in her life so far, and did a familiar internal checklist, feeling her body for wounds. Once her eyes adjusted, she assessed her surroundings. The damage wasn’t nearly as bad as it could have been, but it was far from good._

_“Alexei, Artemis, where are you?” she coughed out a question, trying to spot them in the mess. No one responded. She had to figure out where they were and what exactly had happened._

**Before**

“You know those movies where women go out shopping together and bond over talking shit about other people around them?” Artemis asked Sharon as she took a mouthful of food. “I am so glad we don’t have that kind of friendship. I hate shopping.”

“Oh, we’re friends now? All I had to do was pick out a dress for you?” Sharon asked, mouth quirked in a sideways smile.

“Not just a dress. You have a gift. You know the perfect dress to make a girl look good and hide a variety of different weapons. I still think you’re a princess, you’re just a more badass one now,” Artemis told her.

“I have been doing this for quite a few years,” Sharon offered. “You should have seen me at the academy. It wasn’t just weapons, it was also alcohol. You never did know what to expect at a frat party full of spies.”

“And Lex went to school with you, right?” Artemis pried. Sharon laughed. The girl didn’t know as much about their roommate as Sharon did.

“Ah, yes, Alexei Arcturo, second best to me in our class. And he knows it. I gave him so much grief. He’s changed a lot since then though. I barely recognized him when I got here,” Sharon filled her in.

“He was nice to me when I first got here. I didn’t know anything about being an agent and I didn’t really know who to trust, but he made me feel like I could really do this. So, don’t mess with him or I’ll mess with you,” Artemis tried to sound all bite but came off as more vulnerable than Sharon would have expected.

“I’m not here to mess with anybody, just to do the job I was always meant to do,” Sharon smiled. “Speaking of which, we should really get going. We’ll meet Lex at the museum.”

“How many of these things have you gone to in your life?” Artemis asked, looking a little nervous.

“More than I can even remember, to be honest,” she told her honestly. “It’s not as bad as you’d think. There are a few snobby people, a few people who talk out their asses about the artwork, and a few people who are there for the food. The last one is the type to look for if you want to have a fun night. The people we need to keep an eye out for are the ones who look like they faked their way onto catering staff or anyone who seems like they might have a few weapons hidden in their outfits as well. You’ll be fine though. You’ve got a good eye. Just don’t get distracted.”

“Let’s just get in there and make this happen so we can take down this Courier chick,” Artemis smiled.

**After**

_The loading dock behind the museum was a mess. Fire crackled and things kept falling and sweeping through the air. Ashes settled in her hair like flakes of snow during a storm. She managed to get up on shaking legs and pull out a small firearm that had been strapped to one of her thighs. The Courier’s men were still nearby and she still needed to find her roommates._

**Before**

“I am the luckiest man at the event tonight. Look at me with a beautiful woman on each arm,” Lex tried to sound flattering but Sharon couldn’t help but roll her eyes.

“If only it weren’t all a lie, right?” Artemis shot back and Sharon gave a small and unattractive snort of a laugh.

“Since I’m the only one here who anyone actually knows, isn’t it more like the two of you are my guests?” Sharon asked.

“You’re right. Thank you so much for your invitation Ms. Carter. Now, by all means, let’s go steal your family’s prized artwork,” Lex smirked.

“I will make sure to look very disbelieving that my two guests would do such a thing,” Sharon played along.

“And I will make sure to bring The Courier home for questioning later,” Artemis finished off. This was an intel mission. They agreed that once they had The Courier at a safe location, they’d send her off to a Shield facility.

“This is going to be a fun night,” Sharon finished off as they split up once inside the museum.

**After**

_“You look just like the trustworthy type of person who will help give me instructions on where to find my guests,” Sharon spat in the face of a man who was very obviously one of Jada’s mercenaries. She held her gun, ready to fire, and watched his hands._

_“These people, they’re dangerous. Your friends are probably dead,” the man told her weakly._

_“Why can’t anyone ever just tell me what I want to know? It always has some special big bad guy story in the background. Do you know where my friends are or not?” Sharon asked, her tone full of exasperation._

_“I’m already dead,” the man muttered. And with that, his hand moved, pulling a knife out of his own body. He’d been stabbed already and chose to bleed out quickly rather than give her answers. He passed out from the pain before Sharon could question him further._

**Before**

“Meet anyone interesting yet?” Sharon asked Artemis as they made small talk over champagne in front of an extremely expensive piece of abstract art.

“Two waiters and three guests. I think one of the guests was just awkward and not actually a threat though. So, four total,” Artemis told her.

“Four isn’t bad. I could take four alone. Maybe Lex has met a few others,” Sharon offered cynically.

“A few others?” a drunk man asked, trying to tag into their conversation. Sharon gave Artemis a glance.

“A few other contributors to tonight’s showcase. The art is stunning and the people are interesting,” Sharon smiled. “Now, if you’d excuse me, I have a friend to track down,” Sharon eased away casually in search of Lex. She found him down a hall, away from all the other people.

“We’ve got four. What are you looking at?” Sharon asked him, reaching up to adjust his tie absently. He stiffened slightly but answered her.

“Five. They’re out back. It looks like they took out some of the other staff already and have set up a getaway vehicle for when they have the art in place. I figure, once the noise in the back starts to get crazy, the ones inside will come out,” Lex informed her.

“So, let’s make some noise. We’ve got to get in touch with The Courier and it starts with us sending her a little message first. And you’re sure we can track her people back to her?” Sharon double-checked.

“Absolutely. I’m an excellent tracker,” Lex promised.

“You must have improved since school then, because if I recall, I won the scavenger hunt at the end of our first semester,” Sharon teased as she signaled Artemis to follow them.

“You’re so full of it,” Lex laughed.

“Time for some action?” Artemis asked once she was with them.

“We saved it just for you,” Sharon joked.

**After**

_The trail was laid out for Sharon specially. It had to have been Lex’s doing. There were tiny indications of the number 13 guiding her along until she caught up to him. He was waiting for her about a mile away from the museum._

_“Oh good, you’re alive,” Lex gave her an anxious smile._

_“What did I miss?” she cut the crap and got them back on track without any jokes._

_“They took Artemis,” Lex told her, his eyes wide with his worry._

_“Took her?” she asked, trying to get the story straight._

_“I saw them leave when I was down from the explosion. I guess they thought she was the one leading us and wanted to take her in. But it’s okay. I can fix it. She’ll know we’re coming. She knows I can find her,” Lex was trying to sound reassuring but seemed like he was just trying to convince himself that he could do this._

_“Is this the part where you explain what you and Artemis have been hiding from me?” Sharon asked him seriously._

_“I mean, I can tell you about me, but Artemis has her own secrets that only she can tell,” Lex confessed. “I’m not the person you used to know. I’m inhuman. I can… I can find things. I’ll explain it later. For now, let’s just go save Artemis’s ass before The Courier decides to kill her.”_

_“Let’s go get our girl,” Sharon agreed._

**Before**

“Thirteen, I promise I’ll stop calling you princess,” Artemis called out over the fighting. It was their trio versus a group of mercenaries. Before shots had begun firing, their group had done a decent job of taking out a few of The Courier’s people in hand-to-hand combat alone, taking them by surprise. Artemis and Sharon had turned it into a game of showing off what the other could do. And then, the shots began firing and Sharon was in her element. She was an excellent shot.

“Aw, but I was just starting to grow fond of the nickname. Made me feel like a real part of the team,” Sharon teased back as more mercenaries came out from inside as well as down the street.

“You’re part of the team. Check your back,” Artemis called out with a grin. Sharon glanced behind her and caught one of the men just as he got her in range.

“Ya know, this feels just like the old days,” Sharon began to reminisce. And then, the bomb went off. Just before Sharon faded out of consciousness, she heard shouting, men saying their cover was too far blown. It would be a few minutes before she’d regain consciousness.

**After**

_They found Artemis an hour later in an abandoned warehouse. There were two men guarding her, but she was badly wounded and it looked like she’s been beaten up. It only took a minute for Sharon to take the guards out and then they had Artemis held up on each side, guiding her away._

_“I’m so sorry Artemis, we’ll patch you up right away,” Lex started._

_“The mission,” Artemis began to say but Sharon interrupted, hearing how weak she sounded._

_“The mission doesn’t matter. We’ll just get you back and get you cleaned up. We can take a setback as long as we don’t lose a teammate,” Sharon reassured her but Artemis had a glint of determination that surprised her._

_“The mission isn’t a failure. I saw her face, I met The Courier. We can win this,” Artemis finished her sentence and both Lex and Sharon found small smiles to offer amid their worry and the messy journey back to the loft. They could make the walk back to the museum to get their car and go back to the loft._

_“You scared the shit out of us,” Sharon told Artemis as they made the walk._

_“I won’t get kidnapped again, I promise,” Artemis told her._

_“Sure, that’s not an empty promise,” Lex countered, a mix of joking and honesty._

_“The life of a spy,” Sharon concluded. “Let’s go home.”_


	8. What's Your Super Power?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sharon finds out what her teammates have been hiding from her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for the delay. Work has been brutal. I've been working my schedule out so I have time to write during breaks now so, hopefully I'll be more consistent with updates. Thank you all so much for reading and commenting and leaving kudos. You seriously make my day every time I read something positive.

They’d gotten home about an hour earlier. The three had split off to shower, make food, and get themselves comfortable. They were all coming down from the adrenaline high of the events they’d just encountered and they looked exhausted. Once the trio was settled, they gathered in the living area; Sharon sitting on the couch, Lex leaning against one of the pillars that contributed to their warehouse aesthetic, and Artemis sitting cross-legged on the floor with a mug of herbal tea in hand.

“Okay, who wants to explain what the hell is going on?” Sharon opened their conversation with her brows raised. She was getting answers before they all went out into the field again.

“Do we have to talk about it?” Artemis asked in response. She looked uncomfortable, worried.

“If we’re going to be a team, we all need to know what’s going on,” Sharon pushed, her expression no-nonsense and her mood taking a turn toward impatience.

“Once you know, you can’t un-know. It will change how you see me. You’ll think I’m a freak,” Artemis actually bit her bottom lip in a show of vulnerability. She looked so young just then and Sharon felt a pang of sympathy.

“I’ve been a Shield agent for years. I’ve seen countless strange things and people and nothing has scared me off yet. I won’t think you’re a freak. Now, can you please just tell me what all these secrets are?” Sharon gently pushed.

“Fine, but he has to go first,” Artemis gave in, shooting a glare to Lex to make him take the lead.

“Yeah, you’ve been pretty quiet,” Sharon cut in, her gaze moving over to him, assessing his expression. He looked like he wasn’t overly enthusiastic about sharing his secret either.

“Well, after that little comment from Artemis, I’m feeling a bit self-conscious myself,” Lex confessed, his eyes fixed on the floor instead of meeting those of his teammates.

“Somebody start talking or else I’m going to start digging and neither of you will have any secrets left,” Sharon let the threat sink in.

“I forgot how good you were with computers and research,” Lex remembered with both discomfort and appreciation. Not many people knew that Sharon Carter had a slew of computer skills to go with her combat experience. She did grow up with Tony Stark as a pseudo-older brother so, it really wasn’t so surprising to see her behind a monitor kicking electronic ass. Lex had remembered because this skill fell more under the communications side of Shield Academy and he always thought Sharon could do both if she set her mind to it.

“Just tell her what you can do,” Artemis cut through Lex’s memory and he accepted that he needed to talk now.

“Fine,” he told them with unease.

“Finally,” Sharon murmured stubbornly.

“A few months back, something really weird happened,” he started, not sure how to tell the story, but sorting through it mentally. “You’ve heard about Inhumans, right? Well, it turns out, I have whatever genetic markup makes you eligible for fish oil induced super powers,” he winced at the idea before continuing. “So, I’m up one morning taking my vitamins and next thing I know, I’m shaking off this husk. At first, I think it’s some kind of mistake, that I got off easy,” his eyes wandered through the same hope he’d felt at the time.

“It felt like nothing had changed,” he went on, “and I didn’t look any different. I didn’t really notice at first. It was such a slow transition. I’d never lose things anymore, my keys or cellphone. I never needed GPS to find anything. I thought I was just lucky. And then, the dreams started.

“When I was asleep, I could see real places in real time; places where people could have used my help. And when I was awake, I could find those places or people by just following this kind of gut-feeling. It’s always there, in the back of my mind, guiding me. The weirdest part for me though, is when I concentrate and see the world mapped out in front of me,” he sounded like he still couldn’t believe this was real.

“It’s like, these faint lines dissecting everything into grids. It can be this blessing, this very useful tool, but it’s also scary. I’m always afraid I’ll miss a beat and be somewhere at just the wrong moment, that I’ll be too late to save someone. I could be this great hero who finds those in need. Or, I could just be the guy who shows up too late to be any help.” Once he finished, Lex looked away from them. He was having a hard time facing his own gifts and it was a big deal for him to share this with them.

“That must be hard on you, carrying this guilt for something you have no control over. Are you talking to anyone? A psychiatrist?” Sharon asked, a softness to her tone as she tried to coax him into talking more.

“At first, I couldn’t talk to anyone. There aren’t exactly a bunch of experts on what happened to me. Once I ended up here, I finally had someone who understood though, Artemis,” Lex said, offering a small smile in her direction, thankful for her.

“So, are you two the same then? Inhumans?” Sharon asked, trying to reason this all out.

“I don’t know what I am. I never came out of a husk. I was just born this way, a freak,” Artemis told her uncomfortably.

“We’re going to have to work on this. Neither of you are freaks. You’re just different. It takes more than just a few reminders to change a mindset so, we’ll talk later and come to terms with what your ‘normal’ is. For now though, why don’t you tell me what you can do?” Sharon knew she was going to need to help these two realize their worth, to see that they were so much more than just these powers that they’ve let define them.

“Well, I’m not like Lex. What I am has been passed down to all the women in my family for more generations than I can track. We all have the same gift and have always been seen as flaws of nature. People have called us the devil’s daughters. We’ve been called witches and monsters. We’ve been shunned from places all over the world.” As Artemis spoke, her tone turned cold. She recounted a history to the two of them, one that seemed dark and filled with prejudice.

“The reason we’re seen this way is because we can leave our bodies. We look like ghosts, when we choose to show ourselves at all. It’s kind of like entering a sort of Astral Plane in a way. When in this state, we can talk and see, sometimes even smell things. My mother said if we gain enough control, we can touch and move things but neither of us were ever so strong. The most important part of my power is that I am not bound by location. In this Astral state, I am extremely focused and can take myself anywhere. That’s the reason I’m the one who communicates with Coulson. I can show up for whole briefings and staff meetings in this ghost-like form. They have a special name for me, one my family gave me because I have such a strong ghost form. They call me Phantom.” While Lex had been nervous to make eye contact when speaking, Artemis seemed to be the complete opposite. She let her eyes pierce them, letting them know just who she was. For someone so self-deprecating, she definitely knew her own strength.

“I just can’t shake the fact that my family was persecuted all throughout our ancestry just because we aren’t bound by our physical forms. That’s the reason I think I’m a freak,” Artemis tagged this onto the end. Her feelings came from years of abusive influence. It wasn’t right. A pause lingered between them all before Sharon began to speak.

“There are three types of people in this world: the good, the bad, and the in-between. As long as you don’t throw yourself in with the bad, then I don’t see anything wrong with you. If you use this gift for nothing or even only for your own personal means, you’re doing nothing wrong.” Sharon thought back to the number of heroes and villains she’d stumbled upon throughout her career. She thought of the neutral parties, those who had gifts they’d never asked for or wanted. Only those who harmed others, who used their abilities to hurt and cause pain, were the ones she considered monsters.

“I see you using your power for good though. I see a hero in you. Artemis Huang: Phantom. And I hope you can someday see that hero in yourself too. Both of you are good people with abilities you’re using to help others. I am so thankful to have a chance to work with two amazing super heroes,” Sharon told them warmly. She wanted them to see their worth the way she did.

“I’m not a super hero, I’m just a guy who can find things,” Lex shrugged sheepishly.

“And I’m just a girl who terrifies others,” Artemis muttered offhandedly.

“You’re both agents of Shield and that’s what matters to me. And now that I know these things you can do, I can start integrating ways we can use your abilities to our advantage.” The leader in Sharon peeked out and showed them the future that their secrets unlocked.

“Glad to be of service,” Lex joked, even offering a tired little bow.

“Wait a minute, we both have hero names and Lex doesn’t. Phantom, Agent 13, and Lex the no-named guy. It just doesn’t flow,” Artemis interjected with a small hint of mischief.

“You’re right. Plus, we now get a chance to come up with a cool name,” Sharon went along with her, glad to lighten things after such a serious conversation.

“How about ‘Google Maps’?” Artemis blurted out. Sharon gave an unattractive snort of laughter as Lex’s face turned to unamused.

“Very funny,” Lex remarked, rolling his eyes at the joke.

“I think that’s already taken,” Sharon came in with the save.

“Do I get any say in this?” Lex pleaded.

“Nope!” Artemis grinned. “What about ‘Map Master’?”

“That makes me sound like a really bad rapper who’s obsessed with geography,” Lex groaned.

“Ooooo, ‘The Geographer?’” Sharon continued to come up with terrible names, loving the looks he kept making.

“I’m trying to lead away from names that might get confused with a high school class,” Lex resigned.

“How about something simple then? How about ‘Finder’? It’s to-the-point,” Sharon came up with something considerably less awful.

“I actually kind of like that,” Lex warmed to the idea.

“Phantom, 13, and Finder. We sound awesome,” Artemis smiled genuinely and Sharon agreed.

“Good, because we’re going to help a lot of people and those are the names they’ll know,” Sharon told them seriously.

After their conversation, the three of them gave in to their exhaustion. Artemis ended up sleeping on the couch after Sharon got up and Lex went straight to bed. Before going to sleep as well, Sharon spent a few minutes staring at the screen of her cell phone. Part of her wanted to text Nat or Steve or anyone who she considered a friend. But she discarded the idea after thinking about it. What she was doing here with Artemis and Alexei was showing so much promise and it was getting more serious by the moment. They had their first big lead going after The Courier and Sharon felt in her gut that this woman was only the beginning of their story. This city needed them and they were going to do right by it. This was important work. She wouldn’t let anything distract from that.

**Author's Note:**

> Updates may be sporadic because I work a LOT. Just know that I'm out here somewhere working on a new chapter and it will show up at some point. Thank you so much for reading. Kudos are appreciated and comments are adored, unless they're mean comments in which case I might just be sad.


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